Holy War
by Scarlight61
Summary: Seven masters and servants enter the holy war, but only one pair will win, and only one will have their wish granted. Queen Elsa enters the very war that took her father away from her in the hopes of reviving him, but with six others wanting the same prize, Elsa, along with her servant whom she names Anna, must defeat them all in order to obtain what she desires. [Elsanna]
1. Chapter 1

Tendrils of silence had spanned the entirety of the castle of Arendelle. Each invisible tentacle ceasing the hustling and bustling of the servants and maids, quieting the ever-moving guards. No one attempted to exit their rooms. No one had the gall to drop a pin. No one dared to make a single sound.

They all knew what tonight was.

The dark and silence continued slowly, tauntingly throughout the constricting grasp of the dark and quiet slithered underneath the cracks of every door, seeping through walls and into a spacious room. Multiple bookshelves lined each wall, filled completely with tales from every region known at the time. A large window let in an abundance of moonlight, but the darkness wouldn't stand for it. It quickly closed the curtain on the light, forcing the room into a deeper, devilish blackness. It was as if the moon had run away, want to be infected by dark for fear that it would never shine again.

The darkness and silence crept onward without hesitation or care, covering every inch of the room until it began to glide furtively across the floor, circling the middle where a hardwood chestnut desk sat in the middle of a spacious room where the red velvet carpet had turned a stygian color. The wood darkened at the touch of darkness, and it stole up the wood of the desk until it laid eyes on its first victim.

A woman who's platinum blonde hair seemed to glow even in the darkened void of a room. Her snow white skin, flawless and smooth, became the moon, casting light through the darkened space as the real moon had failed to do moments ago. Atop her skin was a cyan dress, adorned with icy crystals that took advantage of the woman's light, glowing brighter lighting the room even more.

Too much for the darkness.

The woman's fingers curled in around the black fountain pen in her hand, tensing while her eyes were glued to a blank piece of beige parchment paper. Her body had gone rigid, and her breaths were heavy and quick.

The atmosphere seemed to shift in that instant. An unnerving feeling of butterflies overcame the young woman, stiffening her slender figure that seemed like it would break if someone laid a finger on her.

The darkness took its chance and began to advance, creeping closer across the desk towards the woman.

And then there was a chill in the air.

The darkness froze, and the silence that had demanded not to be broken was put in its place as the woman set the fountain pen down on the desk. The clattering of the metal caused the darkness to freeze, and the woman inhaled deeply, pushing down the unnerving feeling inside her and exhaled, her breath visible.

The woman rose from her velvet-cushioned chair, the fabric of her icy dress falling to the floor and dragging behind her in a majestic train as she walked towards the window, parting the sea of black.

Her hand lifted hesitantly towards the glass that looked out towards the whole of the kingdom. The woman's fingers rested themselves on the transparent pane, a thin layer of frost and ice spreading outward at her touch. The woman's icy eyes were stoic as she looked onward through the glass, besides the ominous darkness, the sky was clear. The stars shined brighter than she had ever seen, but it wasn't enough to quiet the twisting and turning of her stomach.

Every pang of anxiety seemed like a war was taking place inside of her. Fear and dread playing as the generals, giving orders that sent too many overwhelming signals and emotions through her. The woman's eyes shifted to her hand on the glass where etched into the top of her palm lay an intricate spade drawn in red.

The point of the spade continued outward in softly, and the rounds of the shape curved in on themselves in spiraling patterns. A single point protruded outward, as if an arrow had just pierced through a heart.

One look at this symbol sent the generals of fear and anxiety into a frenzy inside of her. Her head cane forward ever so slightly, resting on the glass as her fingnerd circled inward and her eyes shut tightly, sending tension through every nerve in her body. "It's alright..." she whispered, her voice failing to reassure her the way she'd wanted.

Her eyes fluttered open, focusing on the spade-like symbol once again. "It's alright..."

The woman's head turned slowly, taking more than a moment to find herself in the vast darkness of the room. Her hand lifted hesitantly, wading its way through the darkness until it came to her eye level, her palm facing upwards.

The woman took her time to inhale, as ice, snow, and power courses through her. Snow spiraled in her hand, glowing a brilliant blue as it steadily became compact. The woman reveled in satisfaction as a snowflake now hovered above her palm, radiating beauty and poise.

She took baby steps forward, letting the blue light of the snowflake guide her as she crossed to the other side of the room. Her head tilted back, allowing her icy orbs to settle on a singular portrait painting of a man and a woman standing side by side.

The woman stood with regal posture, her lips curled into a soft, yet forced smile. Her cerulean eyes gazed gently out into the room as if she was watching over the entirety of the space. The myriad of purples that colored her dress complimented her porcelain skin, as if a seamstress had made the fine fabric for her and her alone. In that portrait, she was the epitome of poise.

The man beside her held a rigid posture. His back was too straight, the tension visible throughout his entire body. His shoulders were tight, wanting to burst if of the black military style uniform he wore accompanied by long grey trousers, and his face seemed distant, nebulous as if he was lost in thought at the time of the portrait.

The woman took steps closer, lifting the glowing snowflake higher towards the picture, illuminating the two figures in a light the darkness outside would otherwise never permit.

"Papa... how am I going to-"

 _Knock._

 _Knock._

 _Knock._

She took steps back out of start and took more than a moment to regain her composure. Tingling sensations scattered down her arms, neck, face, and every inch of her skin. She was suddenly aware of the entire room and of the graceful flurry of snowflakes that seemed to fall from nowhere, yet everywhere at the same time.

The woman mumbled a curse and clenched her fist, ceasing the fall of the beautiful white flakes. She let out a shallow breath, the air she expelled visible in a sheer fog.

"Queen Elsa?" A familiar voice from outside the door sent a small smile creeping up the queen's lips.

"Come in, Kai."

The doorknob clicked and turned, and a man who was a little large around the belly emerged from the doorway. He was dressed in a regal pine green suit with matching trousers. The vest he wore underneath was colored a moss shade of green, with thin red vertical stripes placed symmetrically apart from one another that went around the fabric, his undershirt possessed an olive color, and the silk fabric tied into a bow around his neck adorned the same color while his red hair acted as the star to his Christmas tree appearance. "The preparations are ready, your Highness."

His voice barely reached the queen's ears. Even though he was standing practically in front of her, his voice was so far away. Tingling sensations which she recognized as fear started in her stomach. The fear and anxiety screamed that it was there, and it wouldn't be leaving any time soon. Her legs shook as she took hesitant steps towards the door that led into the blackened hallway and lightheadedness was suddenly the only thing she could feel.

A sudden pressure was around her wrist before she could exit the room, her head turned sharply to see Kai's cream-gloved hand wrapped around her wrist. "Are you frightened, my Queen?" He asked, loosening his grip on Elsa's arm when their eyes met.

A somber smile adorned Elsa's lips at that moment. "It's war, Kai. Who wouldn't be frightened?"

The servant gave a sympathetic look, and released the queen's arm fully, allowing her to begin her descent down the blackened hall. Elsa was aware of every inch of the space as if the darkness were hovering around her, waiting for any moment of vulnerability, any opening to envelope the queen fully. Her steps were slow, as if in between each one she debated on whether to continue forward or not.

"One step at a time..." She mumbled to herself.

Her head tilted upward, her vision focused down the hall, the velvet carpet made a path towards a large pair of double doors, which seemed to grow farther away with every step she took towards them. Her breathing became quick, and her feet felt like they would fall through the floor at any minute, like gravity itself wanted to pull her into the ground.

Her eyes quickly shifted down to her left hand, where the red spade rested comfortably, almost innocently. It didn't have a care in the world that it might send the girl to her death.

"What will you wish for?" In her ears, the voice sounded muffled, but Elsa didn't have to blink to know it was Kai. "If you win, you'll receive one wish, do you know what it would be?"

A misty breah escaped Elsa's lips, and her head tilted, confidence now seeping through her as the two stood in front of the double doors, the queen resting her hand gently on the dark, intricately carved wood. "I want him back." She mumbled, turning to face Kai, determination set into each line of her face. "I want my father back more than anything in the world." She faced the doors, but it seemed more like she was staring into the abyss. "This war took him... it will bring him back. I just hope I can summon someone strong enough to help me..."

With those words, the queen pushed the door opened with one hand, a gust of wind assisting her. Her steps were sure and swift, the clicking of her ice blue heels echoed through the entirety of the spacious room. On the other end was a throne upon a dais, but what caught the attention of the girl was in the middle of the floor.

A circle lined with meticulous patterns was so large in diameter it could fit twenty of Elsa's person. The circle itself was painted black, and in the center rested a shining object reflecting gold light right into Elsa's eyes that were wider than they'd ever been. "I thought.. I thought it was lost."

Her words were breathy as an emotion she couldn't place panged in her heart, rendering her paralyzed for a lingering moment.

"Yes, so did we." Kai came by her side, gazing at the golden object. "He never wore his crown. We assumed it was lost, but we found it lying around in his chambers. I think he wanted you to have it."

Elsa stepped to the edge of the circle where she could see the golden crown more clearly. It was circular in shape with three protruding prongs, and in the center of the middle prong held a sapphire jewel.

"Whenever you're ready, your Highness."

Elsa barely registered Kai's words but nodded mindlessly as she gazed at the full assembly. The circle. The crown. It was really happening.

She was really going to enter the very war that had taken her father away from her.

She took one full breath and let her hand extend outward over the circle that surrounded the crown. The black paint of the circle began to glow blue in response to her motion, and Elsa exhaled and began to recite the words her father had said so long ago.

"My wish is to bring back the one I love." The circle's glow intensified in answer, and Elsa couldn't hide the smirk that began to form on her lips. "Divine gates of justice and power, open and send me a guardian, a spirit on which I can rely who will heed my every beck and call, who will offer me power and victory in this war." The light had grown so bright Kai had thrown his arms over his face to shield himself from the light, and Elsa had closed her eyes, the adrenaline inside of her was the only thing keeping her alert and aware of the power emitting from the circle that had been plain moments ago. "Spirit, if you will help me in this fight, appear!"

Blinding white light.

That was all Elsa knew at that moment. There was no Kai. No worries. No fear. No darkness. Just light. Even though her eyes were closed, she could feel the power and energy filling the entirety of the room.

It faded as quickly as it had come.

Darkness once again filled the room, leaving it dull and haunting. Elsa felt her heart beating rapidly in her chest. "Someone strong..." She muttered. "Someone strong." Her hands and legs began to shake as her eyes slowly fluttered open, adjusting to the dark of the room. "Kai?" Her head turned in all directions as she looked for the man. "Do you see anything? Anyone?"

"No, your Majesty." His voice was closer and more somber than she'd expected, but after a few more moments, she could make out his figure in the dark. "I don't see anyone."

Elsa nodded solemnly and looked down, her fingers curling into a tight fist, the rapid beating in her heart continued, pumping frustration into each nook and cranny of Elsa's being. "So I failed..." She whispered. "I fail-"

 _CRASH!_

"WHOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAA AGHHHHHHH LOOK OUT, LOOK OUT, LOOK OUT!"

Elsa's eyes shot upwards and focused on a hole in the ceiling, and a black dot came falling to the ground faster than Elsa could blink. It crashed into the middle of the circle, and splinters of wood had scattered themselves across the floor of the throne room, and dust Elsa didn't even realize was there rose into the air. Her and Kai both began to cough continuously.

 _Maybe I'll hire a new cleaner soon..._

The queen regained her composure and hesitantly took a step forward, squinting to see through debris and dust that had begun to rise from the floor.

Coughs came from the center of the circle, and numerous 'ows' came in between. "Who is it, your Majesty?" Kai came up beside Elsa who was now standing directly above where the figure had fallen. _"What_ is it?"

"I don't-" Elsa squinted even more, trying to get a better look. "I don't know."

"Ow. Ow. Ow. Ow. I was never good at sticking landings. Gods, this would have been so much less embarrassing if I'd known I would have been falling from the sky. Why wasn't I told I'd be falling from the sky?"

The voice, distinctly female, caused a slight smile to creep onto Elsa's lips. She had to admit, it was definitely a way to make an entrance. When the debris cleared, the first thing the Queen saw was copper hair tied into two unkempt braids. Her upper body was covered by a loose cream-colored tunic that went down and puffed out at her wrist, although it was speckled with brown dots of mud. Her trousers were brown, also covered in dirt like the girl's face, but they fit her slender figure nicely, but what truly caught Elsa's eyes was the rapier with a golden handle attached to the girl's hip.

The girl's head turned, and turquoise eyes met Elsa's icy blue ones. "Who... who are you?"

* * *

A/N: So, the premise for this was taken from the Fate animated series; particularly Fate/Zero since that was the first one I watched. If you haven't seen it, I highly recommend it. It's really, really good in my opinion. (Disclaimer: I don't own Fate/Zero or Frozen) I'd actually gotten this idea a while ago. It was one of those ideas where I could picture a lot of cool scenes in my head, and then I could kind of see the whole story start to unfold in the bathroom of my grandparent's house. (I'm dead serious.) But I didn't know how to really write it and now here's this first chapter.

I know this is a little short, but I do have the next chapter written for this which is decently long, (Much longer than this one) and I'm working on the next one right now which will really kickstart the plot of the story and the feels and everything else that we all love :)

This was a long author's note I know, but follow, favorite, and tell me what you think in a review, and I'll see you guys for the next update of this story :)


	2. Chapter 2

Elsa had heard stories of the servants, those who, like their masters, had wishes they wanted to be granted through the war. She'd heard legends from her father of noble heroes, benevolent in all regions, staples of kindness, all fighting for what they wanted. She remembered the first time she'd seen her father's servant, a tall slender woman with beauty beyond comprehension, and she always smelled of exquisite lavender. She stood almost regally beside her father, and if she were anyone else, she would have mistaken them as husband and wife. The clothing she'd had on was marvelous, extravagant dresses sewn by the most meticulous and luxurious hands. She had been impeccable, a servant worthy dying for.

This girl in front of her, her noble servant, was anything but.

If she'd seen this girl on the street, she would have pitied her, offered her food and clothing. That was why the rapier was such a surprise. The sword looked pristine, it's golden handle shimmering in the moonlight that had formed a spotlight on the girl, forcing her and the shining metal to stand out amongst the darkness of the room. The contrast was bewildering to Elsa. It seemed the girl cared more about her weapon than herself.

"Who are you?"

The girl's head turned to Elsa, and their eyes met. The redhead's teal irises shimmered like crystals, and Elsa was unable to look away no matter how much she was repulsed by the girl's appearance. "I'm your master." The Queen answered, taking slow steps forward as she offered the girl her hand. "I think the better question is, who are you?"

The fingers on one of the girl's hands curled into a fist. "That's not fair," She stood, dusting herself off, leaving the Queen's hand hanging in the air. "You know we're not supposed to reveal our names."

Elsa's brow raised in confusion as she let her hand fall to her side. "What do you mean?" In the time her father had been alive, she hadn't even stopped to think about the woman's name. Maybe she'd just never asked, but the idea that she was never supposed to know in the first place hadn't occurred to her until now. "Are you saying that I can never know who you are?"

The girl shook her head casually before bringing her arms over her head into a stretch. "Of course you can, I just can't tell you." She yawned. "So, when do we start?"

Elsa's eyes narrowed now. The girl didn't even seem to be taking it seriously. Either that, or she was just clueless, and idiocy was something Elsa ad never been good with. She had to deal with enough of it in her council, she didn't want to have to babysit this girl too. "We start when I know your name." She retorted curtly, crossing her arms over her chest. "And after you take a bath. You're disgusting."

A chuckle came from the girl's lips, a warm one despite Elsa's rude tone, another thing that she still didn't understand. The next thing she knew, the girl's hand was out toward her, asking for a shake. "Anna." The girl said with a smile.

Elsa raised a brow at the girl, diverting her eyes between her hand and her eyes. "That's your real name?"

The girl shook her head, waving her hand dismissively. "Of course not, but you have to call me something, right? Besides servant. So, just call me Anna."

The Queen fought the urge to laugh. The name Anna meant grace, and the girl was far from that in every way. Elsa's eyes once again went to the girl's hand, her brows furrowing in contemplation before their eyes met again, and she nodded, taking the girl's hand in her own. Her skin was coarse, another obvious sign that she hadn't exactly had a privileged life the way Elsa had been brought up in. It was a different feel from the smoothness of her servants' hands, far away from the even and well-manicured feel of her father's hands, it was so different that she enjoyed it. Maybe a little too much.

Her eyes went slightly wide as the girl dropped to one knee in front of her, and there was suddenly the softness of lips against the top of her palm. "Your Majesty.."

The girl's voice, barely above a whisper, sent shivers down Elsa's spine. She was lucky she'd had all those years of training her expression, otherwise, her cheeks would have been bright red.

"Now take a bath." Elsa interrupted the moment, pulling her hand away from the girl. "I'll have someone bring you a new pair of clothes as well. That outfit is hideous and dirty and it will be thrown out."

Elsa was already walking away before the girl even had a chance to respond. Kai followed beside her, and Elsa heard the footsteps of a servant dragging their new guest out of the room before she was out the door, back into the hall. Her head was forward and her arms were clasped behind her back. "Do you know why, Kai?" She asked to seemingly to the air in front of her.

Her advisor's head turned to face her. "Do I know what, your Highness?"

Elsa bit her lip, squinting in thought. "Why she can't tell me her name." She replied, "Father never explained that rule to me. I didn't know it even was a rule until now."

The larger man hummed and turned his face forward. "It's for safety."

Elsa turned her head toward him, giving him a skeptical look. "Safety? What do you mean, safety? It's not as if they can't handle themselves."

Kai nodded along. "That is true, Queen Elsa, but they can handle themselves when around others who aren't servants." He glanced at her. "Who they are might give away weaknesses, pasts that, if revealed, could be their downfall."

Elsa bit her lip, turning her head to look down the hall as Kai spoke again. "Who they are could get them killed."

/

The interior of the palace was nothing like Anna had ever seen in her life. She had only been to one castle in her life, but it paled in comparison to the structure she was walking through now. The wood of the throne room turned to scarlet carpeted, with the crocus, what she assumed to be Arendelle's symbol, embedded in gold occasionally amongst the carpet. There were dressers among the wall, adorned with antiques while the wall itself, boasting the same red color as the carpet, was lit with candles, a myriad of ivory doors separating each one.

She looked up at the high ceiling. She could probably stack twenty of herself on top of each other and it still wouldn't be enough to reach the top. Her mouth hung open and her eyes were wide as she examined the pictures that lined the walls. There was a man dressed in a black military uniform, standing slightly at his side with his head slightly toward the girl. He was visibly old, with grey receding hair and a frail body, but he still stood straight, regal. She assumed it must have been a prior ruler.

The portraits continued on like that, with one pair or single ruler after another, both men and women. She finally came to a younger looking couple. The man wore a military jacket, decorated with metals and gold epaulets, along with a red lined pattern flowing down the center until a red sash that was tied around the man's waist cut it off. On his chest rested a large gold medallion. He was handsome, with auburn hair that was parted more toward one side than the other, his large emerald eyes seemed that they looked into the girl's soul. He looked warm, comforting.

There was a woman next to him, her voluminous dark hair tied into an impeccable twisted bun, leaving wisps of her bangs to cover her forehead. The sleeves of her floor-length dress were lavender, while the bodice was a darker shade of violet that covered the rest of her fabric. A black and fuschia addition covered the back of the dress and fit over her arms like a vest, and faint floral patterns and an engraving of the crocus could barely be seen. She was beautiful. The two looked perfect together.

The girl's eyes shifted to the side, expecting to see a portrait of the Queen she'd just met, yet there was nothing there. She turned to the servant, a thin woman who wore the mandatory forest green uniform of all servants, along with a cap in the same green to cover her hair, yet strands of grey managed to be seen underneath it.

"Excuse me!" The girl ran to catch up to the woman who'd already made it halfway down the hall. "Excuse me," She repeated, finally coming up beside the woman. "Why isn't there a portrait of her up there?" Anna pointed to the paintings, but the woman just kept her face forward.

 _Rude..._ Anna thought to herself. _She's not even going to look at me, huh? I mean, just because I'm a servant to her doesn't mean that she has to completely ignore me like I'm just some-_

"Her Majesty is still having hers worked on. She has another meeting with the artist later this week." The woman sighed. "It would have been up by now if she'd actually wanted it done."

Anna's internal monologue ceased at the woman's raspy, yet warm voice. Her brows furrowed in confusion. "Why doesn't she want it done? They're all great, and she shouldn't really be worrying about how she looks. I mean, she's gorgeous! Why would she-"

Anna caught the woman's gaze. It was hard, almost glaring. The girl cleared her throat. _Right..._ she internally sighed. _Commenting on the Queen's appearance is a no go here, but she is really pretty... Like really, really pretty._

Anna's eyes went back to the woman whose face had suddenly turned solemn. "She knew this would happen. The war."

Anna hummed in understanding, running a hand over the nape of her neck. "What's her wish?" She asked, eyeing the woman carefully.

The servant bit her lip and eventually sighed. "Her father had been a part of this war before her." She explained. "He'd made it as far as the final two, but he was eventually defeated, killed..." She looked at Anna. "After he died, her mother took her own life. The grief was too much for her to bare. Her Majesty simply wants them back. I can't necessarily blame her." Her eyes went to Anna, skeptical once again. "What's your wish? From my time as the former King's advisor, I learned that master and servant are paired by wishes."

Anna froze, unable to speak, and her heart began to beat rapidly against her chest. It panged with guilt, regret, loss, pain. Anna gulped back a lump in her throat. "I can't say."

The woman looked away. "Right, of course. You're all under scrutiny, aren't you?"

The woman eventually stopped outside a tall white door. "This will be your room. I've put you close to the Queen should you need to be able to protect her at any time." She cocked her head towards the door right across the hall. "Her room is there." The woman pushed open the handle, revealing the interior. "Take a bath and get ready, the Queen expects to see you as soon as you're done. I'll have clothes on the bed for you when you're done bathing."

She pushed Anna inside the room, and the door was shut behind her before the redhead even had a chance to object. She sighed and turned on her heels to face the interior of the room. Her eyes went wide, and her jaw dropped for the hundredth time so far.

The interior was spacious and neat, with a single bed against the side of the wall that was draped with the most lavish comforter of lavender. As she took steps closer to it, the graves of the crocus were imprinted onto the fabric. She ran her hand over it, sighing at its smoothness. She laughed as she jumped onto it, flopping onto her back. Her eyes then met the blank face of the ceiling, also painted lavender, and the symbol of the crocus stared at her again, this time, in the hue of an eggplant.

She sat up and greeted the moonlight of the window, and her jaw gaped at the view of the garden outside. She ran toward the glass, pressing her face as close as she could against it until couldn't breathe. The array of flowers outside was magnificent, far more majestic than any land or creatures she'd ever seen. The flowers looked so calm and peaceful, swaying gently to and fro as the breeze sang them a lullaby before they'd be burned by the sun the next morning.

Slowly, she backed away and turned her head towards a dresser with a mirror posted on the wall, and when she saw herself, her eyes went wide. "Wow..." She picked up one braided pigtail with two fingers, disgusted by just the sight of it. "I really do need a bath..."

Even with her newfound motivation, she moved slowly, taking in every inch of the room.

 _And the Queen just... lives here..._

The thought was almost too much for her. She could never imagine it, living in such a high echelon that people simply came to you, dressed you, fed you, guarded you while you slept. She moved to the bed, carefully removing the golden rapier from her side.

A smile graced her lips as she set it on the bed, and the moonlight hit it just right, allowing the gold to shimmer and highlight a bit of script embedded into the holster. It looked like gibberish to her, but it wasn't the words that brought the weapon meaning.

The girl bit her lip and closed her eyes, letting out a sad sigh as she removed her clothes. She'd never, in all her life, had this much privacy. She almost didn't know what to do with it all.

She walked into the restroom, her eyes going wide as she saw a steaming tub already waiting for her. The second she hopped on, she became numb with pleasure. The water soaked into her pores, cleansed every inch of her body, and she felt like it had reached her soul. She felt calm, truly at peace just sitting there. She undid the knotted braids holding her hair together and let her hair feel the release the water brought the rest of her body.

"I could get used to this..." She muttered, running her fingers through her hair.

She couldn't tell how long she'd stayed like that, lingering in the steam and warmth, but she knew that eventually, the water had gone cold. The next thing she knew, she was shivering, and she quickly washed each crevice of herself before jumping out of the water like an antelope being chased by a lion.

She was beyond glad that a towel had been placed conveniently by the side of the tub, but even the warmth of the soft fabric wasn't enough to keep her from shivering. She ran out of the room, hoping to see a warm garment on her bed as the servant had said, and though she knew the clothing must have been warm, it wasn't what she'd expected.

A dress had been laid out. It was the deepest green Anna had ever seen, and the velvet fabric more luxurious than anything else in the castle. It was plain, yet it held more beauty than any other simple dress. It was long, and would almost reach the floor if she put it on, and the neckline was conservative, it would barely leave her collarbone exposed. She swallowed as she picked the garment, holding out as far away from her body as she could as if she would get a disease if she brought it any closer.

Eventually, she sighed, and threw it over her head, smoothing it out over her figure and stepped in front of the mirror to redo her signature braids. The dress fit her surprisingly well. How had the woman known her size just by looking at her? The proportions were just as she'd expected them to be, and the fabric was breathable, the opposite to what she'd thought it would be, but she still felt and looked uncomfortable in it.

She wasn't used to the way it clung to her every curve, how it accentuated all the things she simultaneously loved and hated about her appearance.

With a sigh, she finished tying the twin braids of copper, grabbed her rapier which was still where she'd left it on the bed, and she waddled out of the room and into the corridor.

The woman had said she'd been put close to the Queen, and if Anna recalled correctly, she was right across the hall from her master. She took hesitant steps as she stopped in front of a door similar to hers, and smoothed out her dress again, feeling her cheeks heat up.

She hated it. All of it.

Without a second more of hesitation, she knocked.

"Come in."

The response was immediate, firm, yet welcoming all at once. Anna pushed open the door, and her master was revealed to her. The Queen's platinum blonde hair rested over her shoulder in a single perfect braid as it had before. Her dress was the same shimmering ice blue. She was the only thing in the entirety of the estate to put every once of beauty it had to shame.

The woman's icy eyes lifted from what seemed to be a piece of paper, and they landed on Anna's turquoise orbs, and the servant closed the door behind her, shyly stepping inside.

"How was your bath?" The woman leaned back in the velvet chair, crossing her arms over her chest.

"It was lovely." She dipped her head in respect. "Thank you."

Her master hummed, her eyes skimming over the girl's figure. "You seem comfortable."

The sarcasm was obvious, and the heat building in Anna's cheek exploded and rushed to the surface. "I'm just..." She rubbed the back of her neck, attempting to soothe herself. "I'm just not used to it is all.." She bit her lip.

 _I don't think I'll ever be used to it at all..._

"Well, then what would you prefer?" Her master was standing and walking towards her. The next thing Anna knew, she was touching her. Well, not _her_ exactly, but the dress. The Queen examined it from every angle, circling the redhead. "It seems to fit right."

"It does," Anna replied sheepishly, "It's just... I've never exactly worn a dress before..."

The admission didn't seem to faze the Queen. "Alright.."

Anna's eyes went to the woman to find that her brow was creased in thought. Even with severe focus, she still looked beautiful. The moonlight struck the crystals adorned onto the woman's icy dress, giving her a glowing aura, and the silhouette of darkness that plagued the room, that plagues Anna, didn't swallow her whole. It was as if the darkness was afraid of her.

"We can find you something then."

Anna let out a breath she hadn't known she'd been holding as the Queen walked back to the chair behind the mahogany desk. "I'm going to assume you'd prefer something similar to what you'd come in."

Anna nodded, clutching her rapier a bit tighter.

"Very well, I'll arrange for a few different ones for you." The Queen motioned to another chair, that Anna hadn't noticed, sitting in front of the Queen's desk. "Sit." She urged. "Let's talk."

Anna gulped as she hesitantly made her way toward the chair. "Talk about what?" Her eyes met the Queen's as she sat down, but the orbs of the woman in front of her were elsewhere. Behind and above Anna.

"About this." The Queen lifted her hand, turning the top of her palm toward the girl, revealing the red spade that now adorned her hand.

Anna's heart began to beat faster against her lungs at the pure sight of it. That had been the death of so many others like her.

"You obviously have some concerns about this."

Anna looked down slightly. "About what it can do." Her voice was quiet, afraid.

"I know, that's why I wanted to set some boundaries."

Anna's eyes went slightly wide, and she looked up at her master. She was prepared to see a sickening smile on her face, an evil smirk, but she saw genuine concern instead, and she couldn't describe how grateful she felt. "Boundaries?" The girl asked slowly. The Queen nodded, and Anna let out a bewildered scoff. "I don't.. I don't understand.." She looked at the symbol. "You don't have to set boundaries with that. If you tell me to do something, I'll do it."

Elsa hummed. "Yes, but since when is that fair?"

Anna's eyes kept getting wider. Never before had she heard a master speak of fairness. Never had they been like this woman, caring and genuine. "Fair...?"

The Queen sighed, and her eyes left Anna's for that same position, above her and behind her. "Masters have their own set of rules. Some don't care. Others do. It's, quite frankly, not hard to understand." Her eyes met Anna's again. "You're still a person, you have feelings, goals, wishes. I'm of the minority who have the opinion that you are not just a weapon. You are a person, and I'm going to treat you as such."

Anna could only stare at her master. The woman only had three commands, only three to tell Anna what to do, and she was leaving the decision in the girl's own hands?

"I don't kill." The girl met the woman's eyes with more confidence than she'd ever had. "I don't kill the masters... I should say." She looked down at her rapier. "The servants are fine. They can defend themselves, but I won't kill another master. I'm more powerful than them, they can't fight back."

The two women stayed looking at each other for a moment before the Queen nodded. "Done. I won't command you to do anything like that." A small smile came onto Anna's lips. "Is there anything else?"

Anna opened her mouth to speak, but she was interrupted by a knock at the door. Her eyes settled on the Queen who let out a tired breath. "Come in."

Anna's head turned back toward the door, curling her fingers around the sword's handle, but they relaxed as soon as she saw the large red-haired servant man from the ballroom. "Queen Elsa," He bowed low to the woman in the chair.

 _Elsa..._

Even the woman's name was beautiful. It rolled off Anna's tongue like honey, it rolled off of everyone's tongue that way. She was the embodiment of grace and poise, of strength and beauty, and that very woman was who she would now serve. Her heart swelled with pride, honor, and something else that was warm and sweet that she couldn't put a name to yet.

"Yes, Kai?" The Queen's eyes landed on the man who walked toward her, coming up beside her and presenting her with an envelope. "Who is it from?" She asked, taking the letter in her hand.

The man paused. "The Southern Isles, your Majesty."

Elsa froze as well, and she sighed, sliding the letter across the table until it stopped in front of Anna. "Thank you, Kai. I'll read it later." The man gave another bow, and exited the room, closing the door behind him.

Anna's eyes were focused on the envelope, specifically, on the seal that held it closed. A pair of two swords crossed together.

"Read it to me." The Queen's command was curt, shorter than any other tone she'd used with Anna.

The servant nodded and slowly took hold of the envelope, breaking the seal apart from the parchment underneath, and it unfolded into a piece of paper. She stared at the script for a long time, her brow furrowing in concentration.

 _What...? I've never seen that letter before... doesn't that one make an 'ah' sound? And what's-_

"What's wrong?" Elsa's voice made Anna jump slightly, and she continued to stare at the letter, unable to meet her master's eyes. "Read it."

The command had Anna biting her lip. "I can't." She looked down as she placed the letter back on the table, pushing it toward Elsa.

Elsa's brows raised a for a moment. "What do you mean you can't?" She clasped her hands together. "I ordered you to read it."

Anna caught a quick glance at the Queen before shifting her eyes down to her sword, to the script she couldn't make out. Not because it was illegible, but because... "I can't read..."

There was silence between the two of them for a moment before Elsa's voice filled the room. "Can you write?"

Anna shook her head, her cheeks heating in embarrassment.

Elsa hummed and leaned back in her chair. "It's not a problem." She reached across the table and took the letter, rising from her chair. "Go and get some rest. We have a busy day tomorrow."

Anna rose as well, watching the Queen circle around the desk. "Busy with the war?" She questioned.

Elsa shook her head. "No, teaching you to read and write."

Her master's smile caught her off guard. The whiteness of her teeth was disarming on its own. She managed to keep her flustered mouth shut, and she knelt in front of the Queen, taking the woman's hand and pressing a kiss to the red spade. Elsa's hand was the smoothest thing she'd ever touched, softer than the comforter, softer than the fabric of the dress... softer than...

Heat surfaced on her cheeks, and she was only glad that she was looking down at the moment. "Goodnight, master."

The second Anna felt the slightest bit of resistance, she released Elsa's hand, and she stood, bowing to the woman before stalking off out of the room, closing the door behind her. She couldn't explain why her stomach felt like it was doing flips. She didn't understand why her hands had suddenly gotten clammy and sticky. The reason why her breathing had gotten faster was far beyond her comprehension, so she decided to push it all into the back of her mind.

She reentered her room, and for some reason, the air was easier to breathe in. She didn't feel so anxious or giddy, but the new atmosphere suddenly had her eyelids feeling heavy.

She pulled the dress over her head, letting it fall onto the ground as she sunk under the covers of the bed. She melted into the mattress that supported her better than the floor supported her feet. She let out a pleasure-filled sigh, and the world slowly dissolved away around her, until she was thinking of nothing at all.

/

The moonlight failed, every night, to reach the depths of the forest. The trees sheltered the area so well it was known, in Arendelle, to be possessed by witches who covered the sky in a blanket of darkness each night so they could proceed with their conjurings and spells. This time, the darkness was in service of another who stood in the middle of a clearing wheezing as drops of red, coming from their flesh formed a large circle with intricate symbols lining the outside.

They eventually stepped to the side, admiring their work before tearing a piece of cloth from their cloak and wrapping it securely around their arm that was now gashed and dripping red. The made their way to the center, where they placed a golden medallion that was swallowed by the darkness. Carefully, they stepped back to the outside and held their hand out toward the circle's center.

"My wish is to get my revenge." The circle of blood began to glow a faint blue. "Divine gates of justice and power, open and send me a guardian, a spirit on which I can rely who will heed my every beck and call, who will offer me power and victory in this war." The light grew and grew, breaking through the seemingly permanent darkness of the forest. The wind began to pick up, and when the light was at its zenith, they spoke again, "Spirit, if you will help me in this fight, appear!"

The light overtook the forest, and when it disappeared, it was as if the sun had gone out. The figure had found themselves on their behind, their arms over their eyes and their face in the dirt and grass on the ground. Immediately, they opened their eyes, which were still adjusting to the darkness. They raised their left hand and smirked from behind the hood of their cloak.

A complexly designed red arrow had planted itself into their skin, and a chuckle escapes their lips, and they stood up, dusting themselves off. The summoner took in a breath and turned their head, and the moonlight had made a silhouette of another figure. This new person was broad-shouldered and muscular, and a mop of messy hair was visible, but the color wasn't. A string was slung around their shoulders, but it took the summoner a few moments to realize it was a bow, along with a quill of arrows.

But what stood out the most was what the figure was holding. A spherical object landed in the muscular figure's hand, and they tossed up into the air, letting the moon cast just enough light on it to make out its red color. The figure caught it in mid-air, and brought the object to his mouth, taking a large bite out of it.

The crispness of it echoed through the forest, and the summoner chuckled as they looked at their new warrior.

The two looked at each other for a few moments in silence before the figure dropped to one knee, "Master."

* * *

A/N: So, that took a whole lot longer than I expected it to. Sorry for the delay, I just really wanted this chapter to be good. Quick side note: the servants are based on people from history, mythology, and folklore, but their backstories were changed for story purposes. If you guys want, try and guess who they are! I think that would be a pretty fun game to play, and if you guess it right, you'll get a shoutout when it's revealed! Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Follow, Favorite, and Review if you want more :)


	3. Chapter 3

Just as Elsa had promised, they were busy from the moment Anna woke up, or rather from the moment shed been rudely awoken by Gerda. "Up, girl!" the woman shouted from the hall, "The Queen doesn't have all day!"

They now sat in Elsa's study which was too quiet for Anna's taste. She preferred the noise of rowdy taverns herself, but she could understand why the Queen would prefer this absurd quiet.

The book in front of Anna was larger than anything she'd ever read. The last thing she could recall reading was a menu, and that had been difficult enough. But this monstrosity, all one thousand three hundred and twenty nine pages of it, was overwhelming.

"Read the title." The Queen commanded, leaning back in the tall velvet chair.

Anna simply stared at her. The queen's hair was in the same braid she'd worn it in the night before. Her dress, however, was different.

A good different.

Instead of the cool crystal blue, it was a deep, evocative shade of carmine made of velvet, low enough to reveal her collarbone while still remaining modest.

Anna, found her eyes wandering from the skin of the woman's neck down, to her collar, her chest...

 _Focus!_

"Foreeen. For-For..." She stopped. "What?"

She glanced at Elsa who she could tell was desperately trying to hide her laughter. "Foreign," The Queen corrected, "Try the next word."

Anna gave Elsa a pleading look, but the Queen simply motioned back to the cover. The red-head heaved a sigh and reluctantly set back to work. "Afray. Aff.. Affairs?"

"Very good," The Queen complimented, "And the next?"

Anna furrowed her brow in concentration. "And..." It took her a moment, but she finally came up with: "Relations?"

"Perfect."

Anna looked up to see the Queen smiling slightly at her. It brought a sudden warmth over her, one that spread throughout the entirety of her body.

 _Her teeth are so white..._ _And her face is just... are people allowed to have a face like that?_

"Open the book now."

Anna blinked. "But I could barely read the title! How am I supposed to read all of this?"

Elsa shrugged. "If it makes you feel any better, my father started me off with books on philosophy. I remember the first words I saw as a child were 'Tractatus de intellectibus'."

"Show off..." Anna huffed, fiddling with the new tunic she'd been given. It was lighter than anything else she'd ever worn, more fit for combat than the dress. It was a plain beige color with brown trousers and had a hold for her rapier. It certainly wasn't flattering, but it wouldn't draw attention either. "That really doesn't make me feel any better."

Elsa chuckled. "It wasn't supposed to, now open it. Trust me, if you start with the harder words, you'll be skimming through the easier ones in no time."

Anna did as she was told and opened the book, one big word staring right back at her. "Weh... Wess...Wess-el-ton.." She paused. "Weselton?"

Elsa's lips curled up into a smile.

Gooseflesh suddenly ran down Anna's arms and legs.

 _God, that smile..._

"Go on."

Now emboldened, Anna looked diligently at the numerous paragraphs lining the page. Surprise overtook her for a moment. The text was so small, and there was just so... so much of it. Hesitantly, she started. "Terrrrrrraaayyyn? Terrain?"

The girl looked toward the Queen who gave her nothing but an encouraging nod to continue on.

Anna's eyes skimmed over the next few words. It took her a while, and the sentence wasn't fluid, but she managed to put it together.

"Proximal to the coast."

Their time continued on like that, with Anna reading and Elsa sitting idly by, nodding whenever she'd manage to put more than a few words together, even complimenting her when she pronounced a difficult one.

She read about places like Weselton and the Southern Isles, and the important people there, although she didn't quite understand any of it. Elsa helped a little, confiding in her of the Duke of Weselton's fiasco with his toupee.

"It really fell right off his head?" Anna's grinned from ear to ear.

"It was only once. The other times it would bob up and down like it was begging to come off of him."

Anna doubled over laughing, pounding her fist on the rich wood of the desk. It almost made her want to meet the man just to laugh at him.

"Now," Elsa urged, tapping at the opened book.

Anna groaned as she leaned back in the chair. "I can't read another word." She said dramatically, straightening out the sleeves of her tunic. "We've been going at it for hours."

Elsa quirked a brow. "It's only been two."

Anna lifted up a finger. "See? Hours!"

The two stared at each other for what seemed like a long time. Anna's look was pleading, but over time, it grew softer as she examined the Queen's face. The kiss of freckles on her cheeks, her perfectly arched brows, how _blue_ her eyes were.

"Alright, what would you rather do then?"

The red-head blinked. "What.. what do _I_ want to do?"

The Queen nodded, "Don't you have things you like to do?"

Anna bit her lip. "Of-of course I do, it's just..." Her eyes met Elsa's, and all the courage she'd mustered up until then vanished. She turned her head away, preferring instead to focus on the light coming from the window, even the red mark on the woman's hand. "They're just not very um... Queenly..?" She cringed at her own phrasing as she dared to look in the woman's eyes again.

Elsa seemed undeterred, even curious. "Like what?"

Anna's hands wrestled restlessly with one another by her lap. "Well, you know... taverns, drinking... bar fights?" She look down to make sure the Queen didn't spot the embarrassed blush on her cheeks. "The usual.."

She couldn't see Elsa's expression, but she could feel her eyes. It was judging, Anna assumed.

 _Why couldn't you have said something normal?_ She scolded, _Maybe horse back riding, or painting? Hell, even reading would be better than-_

"So when are we going out?"

Anna's head snapped to the Queen. The redhead's eyes were filled to the brim with surprise. "Excuse me?"

Elsa shrugged. "It does get more than a little boring here Anna," She pinched the bridge of her nose as if the thought of it made her nauseous. "Paper work gets tedious and meetings become frustrating. Even the Queen needs a good time every once in a while."

Elsa was suddenly smiling, no, smirking at the girl. Anna couldn't help but throw her attention desperately elsewhere. If she looked at the Queen, she'd never look away.

"So, when are we going out?"

Anna's leg began to bounce underneath the desk. God, she could smell the fresh air, she could hear the noise.. She couldn't remember the last time she'd been this excited about... anything! And experiencing it all with the Queen no less? "How about a little before sunset?" Even she was surprised at the eagerness in her tone, "It's quieter at that time normally so you can get used to it. When the sun goes down it gets a little crazy. Oh! And you'll have to get used tot he smell too. It's a little, um... sorry.." She was rambling again.

Anna didn't know what to do with herself as she looked at the Queen. Well, she was really watching the Queen look at her. Elsa's eyes searched her, and Anna didn't know what for. There was hardly anything interesting. "What?" The red head finally asked when she felt a little too self conscious for comfort.

"Nothing." The smile on the Queen's lips betrayed her words. "For the time being, I want you to go to the library and practice your reading," Elsa rose from her chair, "I have a few things to do before we go. I'll have Gerda fetch you when it's time."

Anna eyed the Queen carefully. "So you don't want me with you?" She asked, rising from her own chair as well. "What if someone tries to hurt you? I should be by your side."

Elsa shook her head and chuckled as an adult would to a naive child. "Anna, my castle is plenty safe. If anyone in this place were to try and hurt me, I'd know about it before they even reached my room. And besides, I can handle myself, although I appreciate your concern."

Anna swallowed, her fingers absentmindedly coming to hold the rapier's handle. "Right... of course, but it's my job to protect you and-"

"And you don't have to right now," Elsa took a step toward the girl, and Anna couldn't help but notice the racing of her heart. "Really, I'll be fine. Here, if you don't want to go and read, then by all means do whatever you'd like. Wander around, I don't care. You're free to choose."

Anna fought the urge to laugh. Had the words 'free' and 'choose' really been used in the same sentence toward a servant? "So I can just go anywhere?" Anna inquired, making sure Elsa knew what she was saying. "Nothing's off limits?"

The Queen shook her head, "I don't see any reason to forbid you from going into any particular room so yes. You can go anywhere. The only thing I'll say is don't break anything, and- what are you, Anna, what are you doing?"

The red head had dropped to one knee and had taken the Queen's marked hand and pressed it to her forehead. The servant was, in a word, overwhelmed. She'd been preparing for the worst for years, she'd been expecting to have an evil overlord order her to massacre thousands. Instead, she ended up with a woman who only wanted her to read, gave her freedom without strings attached. "Thank you.." The words fanned through the silence that had gripped the room, thickening it, and the grateful kiss Anna pressed to the red spade had it closing in around them.

"You're welcome..." The Queen's reply was soft.

Elsa's hand stiffened in Anna's grip, and the redhead took that as her queue to release her. She stood and stepped away from the Queen, heading toward the door. "I'll um... be in the library."

The Queen only offered the girl a nod goodbye, and Anna snuck out the door, spinning and closing it with her back. Each breath she took in was more shallow than the last. Shivers ran down her spine just remembering holding the Queen's hand. It was cold against her skin, but a refreshing kind of cold, a beautiful kind.

 _She smelled like winter..._ she mused, _like pine trees and fresh snow... and... what kind of perfume was that?_

Vigorously, Anna shook her head.

 _Library, Anna. Library._

She blinked as she turned her head down the hall.

Where _was_ the library?

/

It was only with Gerda's guidance was Anna able to find the room full of books. It was cozy, with warm walls, a sofa a safe distance away from the fire place, plenty of shelves, with the spine's filed neatly and with care. The air was dry and held a fading aroma of smoke from the fire or earlier times, Anna couldn't tell. Under any other circumstance, she would have called the room boring. She wasn't exactly the biggest reader as Elsa had seen first hand, but she had nothing else to do, at least not at the current moment.

She'd have to be content with running her hands over the cool dark wood of the shelves, over the rough spines of the books, barely being able to read the titles.

"How am I supposed to know if it's interesting if I don't know what it says.." She mumbled and she dropped her hand back to her side. She took her time looking at the books, if not admiring the words inside, then enjoying the covers and the feel of them. There was something secure about holding it, something empowering about having knowledge right in her palm. It was knowledge she could barely access, but it was a small amount of power nonetheless. She'd take those morsels where she could get them.

There were other things to look at, thankfully. Antiques lined the walls, collecting dust as most things that were fragile did. There was a model boat, carved with excruciating detail. It was must taken the carver years, maybe longer. A quaint grandfather clock, a myriad of flowers in a multitude of vases, and pictures.

So many pictures.

Some were small, just recreations of a spring or summer, even winter days, filled with color. Some were abstract, merely shapes, some even just lines. The colors were many, jewel tones like topaz, amethyst, sapphire, ruby. A far cry from the grey and brown the girl had known all her life.

The bigger ones were mostly portraits, depicting stiff-backed people in luxurious restricting clothes. Their eyes seemed to follow Anna wherever in the room she went, imploring her to look at them for a little while longer. It was the only thing the people in the painting had left. With their lives left behind, they depended on people like Anna to keep their memory alive.

They must have been jealous, Anna thought.

 _Because this one... whoa..._

The largest portrait in the room, and the most stunning one at that, stared the girl right in the face.

A man dressed in black, his chest decorated with medals of every color. A newly placed crown on his head. An orb in one hand and scepter in the other. She couldn't tell if his hair was dirty blonde or red, or a mix of both. There was nothing in his green eyes at all, his face was all poise and calm. Anna could only imagine how long he'd stood there for that portrait. "That probably wasn't the best day of his life.." She murmured, giggling at her own joke.

The frame was gold and thick, and at the bottom, something was engraved. A word. No, a name.

"Aouw.. Aooo..."

 _Come on, Anna. You can do this._

"A-Aus-" She paused. "Austen..."

She stared at the picture for a little while longer before shrugging. It was a nice portrait.

Her eyes went to the table it was perched above, and her brows furrowed. The book resting there was large, much thicker than what Anna had read in Elsa's study, and that worried her.

It wasn't dusted over like the others, this one was used frequently. Maybe the words on the leather binding would tell her why.

There were only three of them, and they were fairly short.

"Ho-ly War..." Anna's eyes went wide. "Holy War Records..."

The girl opened the book with a fervor she never thought she could possess. The desire to know took over her, and soon, she was lost in the pages, in the information they held.

 _Page 1_

 _Queen Ingrid of Arendelle_

 _Occupation: Queen_

 _War Number: Seven_

 _Servant Summoned: Caster_

 _Win or Loss: Loss_

 _Death by Master or Servant: Servant_

Anna gulped as she continued through the book.

 _Page 479_

 _Soren Rannes_

 _Occupation: Merchant_

 _War Number: Three Hundred and Five_

 _Servant Summoned: Berserker_

 _Win or Loss: Loss_

 _Death by Master or Servant: Master_

And Faster.

 _Page 894_

 _Kristoff Bjorgman_

 _Occupation: Ice Harvester_

 _War Number: Five Hundred and Thirty Four_

 _Servant Summoned: Lancer_

 _Win or Loss: Win_

 _Wish Granted: Not Disclosed_

Until she finally reached the end.

 _Page 1574_

 _King Austen of Arendelle_

 _Occupation: King_

 _War Number: Seven Hundred and Twenty Four_

 _Servant Summoned: Assassin_

 _Win or Loss:_

 _Death By Master or Servant:_

Anna's brows furrowed at the lack of information on the previous King. _Elsa's father_ , she realized. Obviously he'd lost, right? If he'd won, then wouldn't he be here? Her eyes went to the last profile on the page.

Page 1574

 _Queen Elsa of Arendelle_

 _Occupation: Queen_

 _War Number: Seven Hundred and Twenty Four_

 _Servant Summoned: Saber_

 _Win or Loss:_

Anna forced the book closed. She didn't want to read another word.

She stepped away from the table and walked toward the window, grateful for the sun's light and warmth. From below, the town looked alive. The lanterns were starting to be lit, the sky's blue was morphing into swirls of orange, pink, and red. The taverns were starting to be filled.

Her hand subconsciously went to her rapier, rubbing her thumb over the leather handle, the smooth gold guard, the engraved words she still couldn't read. Maybe she should give it a try.

She unsheathed the beauty and held it on its side, revealing the intricate cursive. "M-my..." She squinted. It was hard enough reading normal print. This was just ridiculous. With a frustrated sigh, she sheathed the blade. She could always just ask Elsa for help... but she didn't want to be a burden, and the writing was meant for her.

 _Someday... someday I'll understand it..._

/

"So what have you heard?" The Queen's voice only served to thicken the silence in the room. The council chamber was normally tense, but these were completely different circumstances. This wasn't plain treaties or civil affairs. This was war.

Looking around at the faces of her advisors, they all seemed to be aware of the dire circumstances. Everyone was grave, serious, stiff. It was in this moment that Elsa appreciated her time spent with Anna in the morning. The day had seemed so much brighter then. "Anyone? You can't tell me you all have nothing."

A tall man in a sharp looking red suit cleared his throat, wiping his wisps of blonde hair away from his eyes with a tan hand. "Two have been spotted in the Southern Isles, your Majesty," the man informed, "Berserker and Caster."

Elsa gave the man a grateful look. At least someone was doing their job. "And how long ago was this, Klaus?"

"A few days ago. They were just summoned."

Elsa clasped her hands together, her eyes lingering on the red spade. Three out of seven. Her head lifted back to the display of people around her. "And Rider?"

A woman bit her lip. "Already defeated, your Highness. The Master as well."

Elsa's eyes went wide, and murmurs began around the circle of chairs. "What? By whom?"

"I don't know," The woman answered honestly, adjusting her raven hair. Elsa searched the woman's blue eyes, but there was nothing in them but sincerity. "I've heard rumors of Assassin."

Elsa sighed, rubbing at her temple. _So it's already begun..._

"Lancer is in Weselton." The Queen's eyes shot to a man on the other side of the table. His dark hair was slicked back, and the navy blue tunic he wore fit him almost too well. The black gloves he wore pulled the outfit together. "My sipes reported in earlier today."

A muscle in the Queen's jaw twitched, her hands began to shake. Her stomach was in knots, her head felt light.

 _Rider defeated.._ she worked out in her mind, _Lancer in Weselton, Berserker and Caster in the Souther Isles, Assassin on the loose..._ "What of Archer?" She looked back to the round table, an expecting look in her eye. No one said a word.

"I'm sorry, your Highness." The man in navy blue spoke up, "We've been trying for days, but we can't trace Archer or their Master."

Anger suddenly flared in Elsa's chest.

 _What do I pay you for?_ She sneered silently, but she couldn't find it in her to be disappointed. It was a difficult and dangerous task. They were already putting their lives on the line more than necessary. "It's alright, Seir." She addressed the man, "You've done enough. We know where a majority of the servants are, and that's enough for now."

The man gave her a smile, one she could barely return. The entire atmosphere was tight. "We'll reconvene tomorrow." A break, she thought, would be best. "If you have any further updates, please let me know."

All in unison: "Yes, your Majesty."

Elsa let out a breath. While the hard part wasn't even close to being over, she was grateful to be off the subject. Klaus looked ecstatic to be moving on, adjusting himself so he was more comfortable in his seat. Seir straightened his posture, ready to move on to something less draining. The looks from everyone around her told Elsa they were ready to do the same. "Now, about-"

The doors were thrown open, and Anna emerged, her expression grave and serious, even angry. It was a side to the girl Elsa didn't think she had, nor would ever see. "Anna?" The Queen stood up slowly, her brows furrowed in confusion. "What are you-"

The redhead unsheathed the rapier she held at her hip. Klaus was out of his seat now, stepping toward the wall, away from the girl in fear, Seir stepped back, gulping as he watched the woman intently. "Anna," Elsa hissed, "Get yourself under control, ple-"

If the red head heard her, she didn't show it. The girl sprinted toward Elsa with blinding speed. Elsa blinked one moment and Anna was there the next, in front of her. Elsa opened her mouth to speak, but the girl had turned, swinging the blade once through the air. It seemed that there was nothing there, like she was slashing at an imaginary friend she'd come to hate. Until..

 _Pop_

A sound came from the other side of the room, and Elsa turned her head. Her heart raced as her eyes settled on something that had stuck itself into the wood.

An arrow head.

Elsa's breath was ragged, her hands shaking violently as she turned from the pointed metal to the girl in front of her.

"My Queen," Anna dropped to one knee, a sight that was becoming common between the two of them, "Are you hurt?" The redhead took Elsa's hand, and pressed a loyal kiss to the red spade.

"I.." Elsa took in a few breaths, staring incredulously at the girl in front of her, the girl who'd just barged into an important meeting, and the girl who'd just saved her life. "I'm alright. Yes, Anna I'm fine." She swallowed. "Thank you."

"Your Highness," Klaus spoke hesitantly, his eyes flicking from the new arrival to the Queen. "Who is this?"

"This is Anna," Elsa motioned for Anna to rise to her feet, and the girl obliged, sheathing the sword as she turned to look at the group gathered. Her eyes lingered on Klaus, glaring daggers into him, "My servant."

The room was quiet, fear consumed everyone's eyes except for Seir's. "Your Majesty, this is remarkable. Your father would have been so proud. You've summoned Saber!"

He took a step forward, and Anna's hand immediately went back to the sword, her teeth bared. Seir stopped where he was. It was only Elsa's hand on Anna's arm that made her relax. "Let's retire for the day. This meeting can wait."

Everyone let out sounds of agreement as they filed out of the room, glad to be out of the unnecessary danger they'd be put in, until Elsa and Anna were the only two who remained.

"Are you sure you're alright?" The serious nature of the red head disappeared. Her features were soft now, concerned. Elsa preferred it over the anger she'd seen moments ago.

"Yes." She reassured the girl, hugging herself in order to stop her hands from shaking. "How did you know?" She gulped, "That I was in danger?"

Anna never broke the woman's gaze. "I felt it." She murmured, "I felt him... Archer."

Elsa's heart pounded against her ribs. It seemed their outing would have to wait.

"He's here, Elsa. Archer is here."


End file.
